The Grace of the Heavens Descending
The ancients have always known it, and have graced us with their wisdom teachings. The Grace of the Heavens descends upon us, always. And, the blessings of the Holy Ones, of all traditions, are with us constantly.

Do we realize it?

Do we take the time to listen, to receive, to perceive the undaunting caress, the careening of gifts descending upon us at all times?

Or, do we focus our attention upon a small aspect of our lives, often that includes wounding or suffering, memories of calamity, loss, grief, stress, or chaos, or anticipation of such? I do not mean to make light of the intense calamities and suffering so many of us face, or have faced. Yet, it is true, what we focus our attention upon, is what creates our reality. It is our awareness, the level of consciousness we choose to embrace, which supercedes all other realities, no matter how evident they are. As my good friend Freddy Silva is known to say, those who believe, know they have to believe to see. Those who do not believe, believe they have to see to believe....

I was upon two mountaintops very recently. My partner and I were visiting one of the mountains we had just made deeper acquaintance & relationship with, received incredibly deep initiations with, in our 8 day Temples of the Earth practice. We wanted to take time to offer gratitude, and simply be with the mountain, the Spirit of the Mountain, and others there, who had offered such incredible gifts and alliance during our group practice. We were amazed to see the face of stones altered, the energies so alive, pristine, clear, and awake, the communions so present, vibrant, and rich. Yet, this is how the Earth responds when we enter reverent states of communion and collaboration with it, and her allies.I went to a second mountaintop the next day. The messages were so clear. Every where I went, there were streams of light raining down from the Heavens. One could easily say it was just the particulars of light, clouds, and atmo- sphere. But the messages were clear. Pure gifts of Light were streaming down for all to see, should we simply pay attention to them. (I'm not speaking of the lens refractions in this photo, but the penetration of streams of light all through the atmosphere, more evident in a full size photo.) Should we believe it were just streams of light playing with the clouds and atmosphere, then that is the gift we receive. That is beautiful enough. But, should we rest with the deeper messages, of Pure Gifts raining down upon us, and, listen to the messages, as well, that is the level of perception we are gifted with! For each perception is a messenger from the Divine nature of things, should we allow it to be.

Upon the very crest of the mountain, I rested with my deliberations upon this phenomenon for some time. Receiving the gifts. In awe, every where I looked. Pure streams of light raining down upon me. I, receiving them. Deep messages penetrating my body and psyche from high in the Heavens. Literally, gifts from Heaven. The transmissions were complete.
Then, I noticed a hawk or falcon I had seen several times during the day. Over, far over, one edge of the mountain. Then, he was climbing, climbing, up, ever higher, spiralling up on the currents, very high, then diving down. Circling around the mountain, out of sight, then, there, he was again, spiralling, playing in the wind, perhaps looking for a dinner, perhaps just in sheer joy with the day.

I took out my camera to get some photos of him (her?). I nearly lost track of him. Then, stayed with him for the longest time. He was very high now, far off the most distant shoulder of the mountain. I took a moment to check something on my lens, and looked again, and he was gone. Totally gone. But, I knew he was not. He would not have had time to dive out of sight, had he gone into a dive. It was simply that I left my focus from that small corridor of light, to focus on something else. And, it was such a very small, precise frequency of light/distance, I had been focusing upon before. When I was no longer focused upon this explicit frequency/distance, I could no longer perceive him. It was as if he were not there. Yet, I knew better.
Always taking the messages of the natural world to heart, I sat with this. In clear joy. Here was such an explicit lesson, yet again, about how our consciousness works.What we focus our attention upon is what we perceive. If we do not focus upon it, it is not there.And, while I enjoyed my hawk encounter immensely, I enjoyed the grandeur of the larger picture of mountains, river, valleys, sun and clouds even more immensely. It, actually, took a lot more focus, and energy, to view with just the small, finite lens of the hawk alone. It was a much more grand and joyful experience to open to the greater light show around me.

And, this is what I suggest. Take time for yourself, where you can, and let go; just be, receive, and perceive, these Gifts of Heaven, which are constantly raining down upon us. In all of our worlds. They are ever there. There is always so much more to enjoy in an infinite universe!

Even when it is rain. Just a few days later, I did just this. On the day before my Birthday. And, as it had been raining quite a bit, I sat and enjoyed it. Then, I enjoyed the winds passing, and clearing the clouds away, bringing very clear air and sky behind the storm. I stepped outside, and this was the gift waiting for me.

Not even just one, but a double rainbow, full and complete, with the mountains beyond.

It is ever present. If we can just let go the focus of our seemingly finite world. It is just the appearance of suffering. Just an appearance. There is a much grander view awaiting us, should we take the time to let go, and be with it, allow it to arise, trust in it, and perceive it.

Many blessings in your life and practice.
Zacciah